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NDLEA Strengthens Maritime Operations with Training of Officers in UK
NDLEA Strengthens Maritime Operations with Training of Officers in UK
By: Michael Mike
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has strengthened its maritime surveillance and interdiction capabilities following the successful completion of a week working visit to the United Kingdom by officers from the agency’s Directorate of Seaport Operations.
The six-man team led by Deputy Commander Narcotics (DCN) Aminu Jega, undertook the strategic engagement between 19th and 25th October 2025 under the guidance of Mr. Errol Macdonald of the UK Home Office International Operations, during which they visited key British maritime and border enforcement facilities, where they were exposed to valuable international best practices in maritime intelligence, port security and inter-agency coordination.
The second part of the training on Advanced Container Targeting was conducted for additional 19 NDLEA officers in Lagos between Monday 10th and Thursday 13th November 2025 by HOIO Intelligence team. Both the UK training tour and the Lagos residential five-day training were sponsored by the UK Home Office International Operations.
According to a statement by the spokesman of the anti-narcotics agency, Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA delegation held extensive discussions with officials of the UK Border Force, the National Crime Agency (NCA), Home Office Intelligence, the National Maritime Security Centre, and the Joint Maritime Security Centre in Portsmouth, among others.
He disclosed that during the engagements, the team received comprehensive presentations by the UK National Deep Rummaging Team, which showcased modern techniques and procedures for vessel rummage operations aimed at detecting and preventing illicit drug trafficking through sea routes.
He added that the officers also witnessed live demonstration sessions at Tilbury and Felixstowe Ports, where inward-bound containers from Nigeria were subjected to layered inspection and risk-based screening procedures.
Babafemi said another key highlight of the visit was the introduction and demonstration of the Advanced Sea Searcher System, a state-of-the-art underwater detection technology used for locating concealed contraband and drug consignments beneath ships and port structures. The system’s capacity for high-precision underwater searches was identified as a game-changer in maritime interdiction, offering significant potential for NDLEA’s future operations along Nigeria’s coastal and port environments.
In his post-training presentation to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Buba Marwa (rtd), the leader of the delegation Jega noted that the international exposure had deepened his team’s understanding of intelligence-led maritime enforcement, stressing that lessons learnt from the visit would enhance NDLEA’s operational synergy with other maritime and security agencies in Nigeria.
He said: “We were exposed to advanced tools, data-sharing models, and inter-agency coordination frameworks that will significantly improve our maritime intelligence gathering and port surveillance operations. The practical demonstrations we witnessed, particularly in vessel rummage and underwater detection, are invaluable to NDLEA’s ongoing efforts to counter transnational drug trafficking through our seaports.”
In his response, Marwa commended the officers for representing Nigeria well during the training tour. He reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to continuous capacity building and adoption of cutting-edge technologies in the fight against illicit drug trafficking.
“Maritime routes remain critical in global drug trafficking networks. Strengthening our officers’ technical capacity and intelligence integration with our international partners is essential to safeguarding Nigeria’s borders. The lessons from this UK engagement will be vital in enhancing NDLEA’s effectiveness in intercepting drug consignments at sea and ensuring safer maritime operations,” Marwa stated.
The NDLEA boss said the agency would continue to deepen collaboration with the UK Home Office International Operations and other global law enforcement partners as part of ongoing efforts to combat transnational organized crime linked to illicit drugs.
NDLEA Strengthens Maritime Operations with Training of Officers in UK
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
•••771 to Graduate in Nigeria in 2025
•••Otuaro Hails Scholars’ Performances
By: Michael Mike
Nine students awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by the Presidential Amnesty Programme have graduated from their master’s degree rprogrammes in universities in the United Kingdom.
The successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.
They graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.
Also, 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.
The PAP, on Wednesday, 3 December, 2025, organised a graduation reception for the scholars in London.
Otuaro has congratulated them on their successful graduation, stressing that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.
He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.
“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.
He reiterated his unwavering commitment to expanding the scholarship scheme to create more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.
Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.
Otuaro has so far deployed 7700 students for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.
Within this period, also, he has also deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.
According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.
The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.
“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
By: Michael Mike
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited has been incorporated to seamlessly allowed for the Refinery and Free Trade Zone in Ondo State.
A press statement on Thursday read that: “In furtherance of our commitment to the execution of these two major projects – Refinery and Free Trade Zone in conjunction with the Ondo State Government, the joint partners have taken another giant step by incorporating a joint company, namely – SUNSHINE JOINT VENTURE INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED – as the vehicle to be used in executing these projects. A move that further reinforces the sincerity of purpose and total commitment of the funding partners to move ahead together as a united front.
According to the release by Wale Adekola on behalf of the JV, the Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limitedwill, going forward serve as the vehicle to work with the Ondo State Government through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) in the implementation of the executed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
The statement added that: “In moving the projects forward for implementation, the JV team met in Dubai to finalize the funding modalities and put in place structures and plans for the commencement of activities for ground breaking and community engagements. These initial activities are aimed at complementing the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Ondo State and the one year anniversary of the election of the Executive Governor of the Sunshine State, His Excellency, Chief Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa CFR.
At the Dubai meeting were key officers of the JV Company, including: Messrs SALEHI FARHAD; ZAHERI NAVID; EGHBAL KORDJAMSHIDI; SAHEED ZAHERI; DR. STEPHEN DIKE; HENRY OWONKA AND MRS. NAMVAR MARYAM.
The statement further informed that, plans have been concluded to mobilize the relevant contractors working with the locals and host communities to put up structures that will host the information center, architectural models to showcase the projects on offer and facilities that will serve the team. All these are being planned with ONDIPA to execute the relocation and accommodation of the host communities that are likely to be affected by the projects and create a seamless transition that will engender peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship with our host communities.
The JV company further reiterated its commitment to work with Ondo State Government (through ONDIPA) to change the infrastructural landscape of the Sunshine State and for mutual benefits.
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
By: Zagazola Makama
Seven suspected bandits were arrested along the Benin–Agbor Road in Edo State during stop-and-search operations, security sources confirmed.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects, all Fulani youths, were intercepted after being offloaded from a truck at about 1800 hours on 2 December 2025. A search revealed pictures of assault rifles, including AK-47s, on their mobile phones.
Upon interrogation, the suspects claimed to have travelled from Adamawa State. Investigations are ongoing for the possible recovery of actual firearms and to determine their involvement in criminal activities.
Security agencies have urged members of the public to report any suspicious movements to help prevent criminal acts in the area.
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
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